Voltaire: Some Brief Beliefs (Cont'd), Installment #2

Voltaire's philosophical legacy resides as much in how he practiced philosophy as the ends in which he directed his philosophical activities, such as a specific doctrine or original idea. These philosophies, ideas and actions were all based on Voltaire’s beliefs, in which he stood firm for, to the point of imprisonment, exile and/or death.

Living during the Enlightenment, when church and state began to separate, Voltaire was very outspoken when it came to organized religion. While he never openly declared himself to be a non-believer, he advocated Deism. Voltaire has famously said, “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities”, which is among the many declarations pertaining to institutions and the people that ran them, including organized religion. Open opposition to religion was a serious offense that landed Voltaire in jail and ultimately, exile.

Voltaire was a strong advocate of political reform. His own, independent stance was that he belonged to the "party of humanity." Another main target of his was extremism in any form, no matter political or religious. Voltaire directed much of his social and political criticism at the monarchy and aristocracy, as well as challenging the judicial system as "irrational and brutal."

                     

Although Voltaire was a Deist, he still had a very naturalistic point of view. He had a deep regard for science and its importance in promoting rational thought instead of superstition. Although he still believed in a supernatural creator, he did not subscribe to emerging ideas such as that living organisms could spontaneously generate from non-living matter. Voltaire felt that basing your beliefs on empirical evidence was the antidote to religion and the dangerous authority it can create.

Voltaire was also an advocate of personal liberty and freedom of speech. Although the famous statement, "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", is not from Voltaire himself, the myth that associates this statement with him remains powerful, and one still hears his legacy invoked through this declaration that he never actually said. For Voltaire, rational human beings - for the most part - were capable of thinking for themselves and therefore did not need institutions thinking for them. At the same time, he pointed out that many people are incapable of such rational thought and must therefore rely on religion for personal guidance. Despite his apparent disdain for religion, Voltaire advocated for religious tolerance, stating that diverse, open religious beliefs are fine, "as long as they are not murderous." Voltaire’s skepticism often acted as an extra wall in his defense of liberty, since he argued that no authority, no matter how sacred, should be immune to challenge by critical reason.

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Source 2